Version v1.0.4
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Command line syntax
Last reviewed: 2026-02-03 / Plakar v1.1.0
Plakar exposes several types of commands, depending on the resources they operate on (stores, sources, and/or destinations).
General Syntax
plakar [at <store>] <command> [options] [arguments]
| Component | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
at <store> | No | Specifies target Kloset Store; defaults to ~/.plakar if omitted |
<command> | Yes | The operation to perform |
[options] | No | Command-specific flags (must precede arguments) |
[arguments] | Varies | Paths, snapshot IDs, or other command inputs |
Store Specification
Syntax
plakar at <store-location> <command> [options] [arguments]
Location Types
| Type | Syntax | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Filesystem path | /path/to/store | plakar at /backup/kloset ls |
| Alias | @alias-name | plakar at @s3-backup ls |
| SFTP | sftp://host/path | plakar at sftp://server/backup ls |
| S3 | s3://bucket/path | plakar at s3://mybucket/store ls |
| Default | (omit at) | plakar ls (uses ~/.plakar) |
Store Aliases
Aliases are configured with plakar store add:
plakar store add <alias> <location> [key=value ...]
Parameters:
| Parameter | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
<alias> | Yes | Name for the alias (used with @) |
<location> | Yes | Store location (path or URI) |
key=value | No | Protocol-specific parameters |
Common Parameters:
| Key | Used For | Example |
|---|---|---|
passphrase | Encrypted stores | passphrase='secret' |
access_key | S3 stores | access_key=AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE |
secret_access_key | S3 stores | secret_access_key=wJalrXUtnFEMI |
use_tls | S3/SFTP | use_tls=false |
Example:
plakar store add backup s3://mybucket/store \
access_key=minioadmin \
secret_access_key=minioadmin \
use_tls=false
Source Specification
Sources are locations to back up from.
Syntax
plakar at <store> backup [options] <source>
Location Types
| Type | Syntax | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Filesystem path | /path or ./path | plakar backup /home/user/docs |
| Alias | @alias-name | plakar backup @myfiles |
| SFTP | sftp://host/path | plakar backup sftp://server/data |
| S3 | s3://bucket/path | plakar backup s3://bucket/folder |
Source Aliases
Aliases are configured with plakar source add:
plakar source add <alias> <location> [key=value ...]
Example:
plakar source add mybucket s3://localhost:9000/data \
access_key=minioadmin \
secret_access_key=minioadmin \
use_tls=false
Destination Specification
Destinations are locations to restore to.
Syntax
plakar at <store> restore -to <destination> <snapshot-id>
Location Types
| Type | Syntax | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Filesystem path | /path or ./path | plakar restore -to /restore/dir abc123 |
| Alias | @alias-name | plakar restore -to @target abc123 |
| SFTP | sftp://host/path | plakar restore -to sftp://server/restore abc123 |
| S3 | s3://bucket/path | plakar restore -to s3://bucket/restore abc123 |
Destination Aliases
Aliases are configured with plakar destination add:
plakar destination add <alias> <location> [key=value ...]
Example:
plakar destination add target s3://localhost:9000/restore \
access_key=minioadmin \
secret_access_key=minioadmin \
use_tls=false
Argument Order
Order matters in plakar commands. Options must precede arguments.
Pattern:
plakar [at <store>] <command> [options] <arguments>
Examples:
| Status | Command |
|---|---|
| Correct | plakar at /store backup -check /path |
| Incorrect | plakar at /store backup /path -check |
Common Commands
Store Operations
| Command | Syntax | Description |
|---|---|---|
create | plakar at <store> create | Initialize new Kloset Store |
ls | plakar at <store> ls [snapshot-id] | List snapshots or snapshot contents |
check | plakar at <store> check [snapshot-id] | Verify integrity |
info | plakar at <store> info | Display store metadata |
Backup Operations
| Command | Syntax | Description |
|---|---|---|
backup | plakar at <store> backup [options] <source> | Create snapshot |
push | plakar at <store> push [options] <source> | Scheduled backup (same as backup) |
Restore Operations
| Command | Syntax | Description |
|---|---|---|
restore | plakar at <store> restore -to <dest> <snapshot-id> | Restore snapshot |
cat | plakar at <store> cat <snapshot-id>:<path> | Output file contents |
Configuration
| Command | Syntax | Description |
|---|---|---|
store add | plakar store add <alias> <location> [params] | Add store alias |
source add | plakar source add <alias> <location> [params] | Add source alias |
destination add | plakar destination add <alias> <location> [params] | Add destination alias |
Help System
Quick Help
Display command usage:
plakar <command> -h
plakar <command> --help
Output:
Usage: <command> [OPTIONS] arguments
OPTIONS:
...
Manual Pages
Display detailed documentation:
plakar help <command>
Output includes:
- Full command description
- All options with explanations
- Examples
- Related commands (SEE ALSO section)
Example:
# View backup command manual
plakar help backup
# View related source configuration manual
plakar help source
Special Syntax
Snapshot References
| Syntax | Description |
|---|---|
snapshot-id | Full snapshot ID (e.g., eb66133a) |
snapshot-id:path | File within snapshot (e.g., eb66133a:/etc/config) |
Alias References
All aliases use @ prefix:
| Type | Syntax |
|---|---|
| Store alias | @store-name |
| Source alias | @source-name |
| Destination alias | @dest-name |
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